Halo: Power Plays
Part One: Covenant's End The Didact's Hand “And you are certain Kamchatka is deserted?” “Deserted? I never claimed it was deserted. The humans have a small research outpost on the far side of the planet. But they have no real military presence there, and my scouts report that neither the Vadams nor any other party has laid claim to the world. The only resistance you will find around our mutual friend’s objective will be the usual Promethean contingent.” Jul ‘Mdama, Didact’s Hand and supreme commander of the Covenant, folded his leathery arms over his armored chest. It was a distinctly human gesture, though Shinsu ‘Refum guessed that ‘Mdama did not even realize he was doing it. Human expressions were psychologically subtle things, easily adopted even by their enemies. Shinsu had even heard of human expressions being adapted into the languages of many species in the former Covenant. No wonder they are such a dangerous species “I need concrete assurances, not estimations and guesswork,” the Didact’s Hand said. “I have neither the patience nor the resources to waste more troops on the Doctor’s guesswork.” Shinsu leaned forward on the holographic war table between himself and his supreme leader. The table’s display showed a broad overview of the Covenant’s ongoing war against the human UNSC government, the House of Vadam’s forces back on their homeworld of Sanghelios, and the dozens of criminal gangs, pirate fleets, and splinter governments that opposed ‘Mdama’s crusade. It was not an encouraging picture. Covenant task forces were retreating from most sectors, trying to regroup around the handful of strongholds they still held. Shinsu had been on the losing side of a war before, and it didn’t take a strategic genius to realize that the Covenant was not winning this one. “Doctor Halsey’s guesswork is just about our only chance to turn the tide back in our favor,” he reminded ‘Mdama. “Review my reports again, if you must. If you go to Kamchatka, you will face Promethean resistance. There is no way around that. But this might be our only chance to bring the machines back under our control.” ‘Mdama huffed in agreement. “I never expected to find myself relying on a human’s knowledge of the Forerunners. Yet Halsey’s understanding of the gods, perverse though it is, may yet hold the key to victory.” Shinsu glanced around the Song of Retribution’s command deck. Jul ‘Mdama’s flagship was crewed only by warriors deemed most loyal to the Covenant cause—a contingent that was shrinking with each passing day. The bridge was almost entirely empty, save for a skeleton crew of officers absolutely necessary for the carrier’s essential operations. Why bother with this charade when no one is around? he wanted to ask Jul. We both know you don’t believe in the gods. You never did. You play the role of a holy warrior only because it suits your purposes. He wondered if at some point Jul had truly started to believe the lies he fabricated to reform the Covenant. Such falsehoods, combined with the strains of holding the crumbling organization together, must have taken their toll on ‘Mdama’s health. Perhaps his sanity as well. But Shinsu was no stranger to living out lies and deceptions. After all, he’d been lying to ‘Mdama since the day he’d joined the Covenant. “Halsey’s guidance has, for the most part, been sound,” he agreed aloud. “The troubles we have encountered trying to reach the goals she sets have not been of her design.” “Human interdictions, Sali ‘Nyon’s treachery,” ‘Mdama muttered, almost to himself. “And then the loss of the Prometheans. Yes, we are plagued by misfortunes at every turn. As for Halsey’s own agenda…” He trailed off, tilting his head as if to ponder the dire situation displayed by the war map. It was a chance Shinsu had been waiting for since his meeting with the supreme leader began. “Halsey may not be treacherous, but there is no denying that her goals are ultimately different from our own. Those differences have led to problems in the past. Problems we can ill afford to deal with at this stage.” ‘Mdama looked back at him. He ran a finger across the white hand emblazoned on his chest plate. “You were just in agreement that the doctor was our best chance to turn the tide. Now you question her usefulness?” “Not her usefulness, only her willingness to tell you the full truth. She has hidden secrets from us in the past. I would simply question her further before you risk any warriors on Kamchatka. I have interrogated her in the past, with some success. Transfer her to my custody while you ready the forces that will accompany you, and I will ensure that there are no surprises waiting for you on Kamchatka. The Didact’s Hand considered the suggestion, then nodded his approval. “As you say. The doctor has become more insolent of late. It would do her good to be reminded of her position.” “I won’t be unduly rough. My warriors will simply impress upon her the need for… transparency.” “I will have her transferred to your cruiser at once. Be thorough. Once you are satisfied with her answers, return her to the Song of Retribution and prepare two intelligence reports. One for myself and one for Chal ‘Vakar. He will have command of the fleet while I am in the field. He is to take no offensive action while I am away, just continue to marshal our forces and await my return.” Shinsu brought his hand up to his chest in salute. “As you wish.” Jul turned away from the war table, then glanced back. “One more thing. The other human… I understand he is here as well?” “He arrived at the fleet this morning. You were engaged in other matters, so I had him brought aboard my own ship. I wanted to cross-check his legion’s reports with my own.” “Very well. I want to speak to him before I depart. In some ways he has proven himself to be a more reliable asset than Halsey. I have instructions to give the Kru’desh Legion regarding our next offensive.” “I will make sure he is ready to report,” Shinsu said. Lately ‘Mdama was letting more and more of these administrative matters fall on him and other members of the Covenant inner circle—another sign the war was taking its toll. He dipped his head in respect, then turned to leave the command bridge. He had just reached the door when the Didact’s Hand called out after him. “Shinsu,” ‘Mdama said, arms folded once again. “This war is not lost. Not yet. Do not lose faith in victory.” “Of course,” Shinsu replied. He indicated the warriors at their battle stations. “We are all here because we have faith in victory. We will fight by your side until that victory is achieved.” It was troubling how easily the lie came to him. He wondered, not for the first time, if this was how it had started with ‘Mdama himself. A few fabricated sermons here, a mix of religious platitudes there, and suddenly he was running himself ragged trying to wring victory out of a war that had been lost before it even began. ‘Mdama had gone too far to turn back now. Shinsu spared one last glance back at the Didact’s Hand, now staring forlornly at the war display, and wondered if this would one day be him. Looking at 'Mdama now, Shinsu strained to rekindle even a little of the admiration he had once felt for the Didact's Hand. He had long felt a degree of kinship with his erstwhile commander. The death of 'Mdama's wife at the hands of the Arbiter's forces had set him down this path just as the assassination of Shinsu's father, Sesa 'Refumee, and the annihilation of his clan had driven him to take up arms against the powers that be. A part of him wished he could experience the same admiration he had felt for 'Mdama back during the Requiem campaign. There he had marvelled at how 'Mdama turned defeat after disasterous defeat into a victory for the Covenant. But that should have been the first warning sign. Trying to build victory on a mountain of losses will not achieve anything in the long run. For all his faults, Jul ‘Mdama truly was a good warrior. A good commander. He wanted the best for the Sangheili people, even if his efforts were ultimately misguided. But that was the problem, wasn’t it? We all want the best for our people. We all just have different ideas about what that best is. It was, Shinsu reflected, truly regrettable that a warrior like ‘Mdama needed to die. Fingers in Rebellion The human known as Catherine Elizabeth Halsey—"Doctor," an honorific Shinsu understood that humans attached to individuals of great learning—had not fared particularly well under Jul 'Mdama's stewardship. Aside from her missing left arm, lost during the evacuation of Requiem, her skin had sallowed to a color Shinsu assumed was unhealthy for humans. Dark splotches had appeared across her face and she seemed to have shrunk inside the human clothing she insisted on hand-washing and wearing even after it had begun to fray and tear. Her pallid face was set in an expression of almost constant irritation, as if she were thoroughly exasperated by everyone and everything around her. "I do hope you've dragged me here to give me some good news, not tell me we've been delayed yet again, she snapped, shifting from one leg to the other in front of the table in Shinsu's personal conference room. Like the war table on Jul 'Mdama's bridge, this board had no chairs. Sangheili preferred to stand at meetings, in part so that they could move about while talking and in part so that they would be ready in the event of an attack or assassination attempt. "I can't afford to wait any longer. And what's he doing here?" she jerked her head in the direction of the figure slouched at the far end of the table. "Our business concerns him too," Shinsu replied evenly. He clasped his hands behind his back and paced in front of the conference table. "Supreme Commander 'Mdama is preparing to take you to Kamchatka, to investigate the Forerunner site you claim will help him regain control over the Prometheans. I take it the structure's true purpose is of a different nature?" Halsey's lips twitched in a wry smile. "Maybe. How do I know you're really interested in helping me? This could all just be part of some elaborate ploy to smoke me out. Jul told me you're supposed to be interrogating me right now to see if I'm telling the truth about Kamchatka." "A ploy I have used several times in the past to converse with you away from 'Mdama's prying eyes and ears. Have I betrayed your confidence yet?" "Not that I know of," Halsey admitted. "Still, I find it hard to trust someone so willing to betray his own commander. Cripple the very cause he claims to serve." "We are all traitors here," Shinsu reminded her. "In one form or another. I'm not asking you to cooperate with me or even sympathize with my goals. I'm simply informing you that I have done everything in my power to make sure the UNSC finds you on Kamchatka. Just like you wanted." "Finds me.. and kills Jul for you. Quite the elaborate assassination you're setting up here. I thought you Sangheili were more direct killers." Shinsu clicked his mandibles. He'd long since comes to terms with the sort of creature he would have to become to achieve his goals. "For a target such as yourself, your Office of Naval Intelligence will undoubtedly send Spartans. Jul 'Mdama will not allow you out of his sight from the moment you set foot on Kamchatka, which means he will be there when they find you. Everything should fall into place from there, but even so I have one of my agents already within 'Mdama's task force to make sure things proceed to plan." "Oh, they'll definitely kill him," Halsey agreed. "My dear friend Commander Palmer won't be able to resist snatching me and eliminating him in one stroke. A shame it had to turn out like this. I've started to rather enjoy his company." The aging scientist looked across the table at Shinsu. "And what will you do once Jul is dead and I'm safely back in ONI's tender custody? Seize command of the Covenant?" "Topple 'Mdama from his burning perch and then take his place on the pyre?" Shinsu shook his head. "Hardly." "So you just want to escape this mess alive?" Halsey considered him for a moment. "If that's all you want, you and your friends here could just spirit me away right now. Save the UNSC the trouble of coming after me in the first place." Shinsu spread his mandibles in a thin smile. "I have somewhat loftier aspirations, Doctor. I have not come this far to simply seek asylum with the humans. This Covenant is coming apart at the seams. With the loss of the Prometheans, Commander 'Mdama has lost his claim to leadership. More warriors desert with each passing day while the ones who remain grow desperate. Desperate warriors will prolong this conflict, and if your predictions about this new threat are true..." "They're true." The third figure at the table spoke up for the first time. "She's not lying. For once." Shinsu turned to look at the second human turncoat Jul 'Mdama numbered among his ranks. The commander of the Covenant's irregular Kru'desh Legion leaned forward, hands resting on the battered helmet on the table before him. He was called "Stray," a human word that translated into the Sangheili tongue as "vagabond" or "wanderer." It was an apt title. The small, scruffy human who had schemed his way into command of the Covenant's raiding legion was one of the UNSC's famed Spartan supersoldiers, though everything about him belied the legends of the fearsome demons who had terrorized entire legions during the old Covenant's war to exterminate humanity. He was clad in the battered remains of what Shinsu assumed had once been a polished military battle suit, its faded surface scorched and dented by countless battles. A ragged poncho was draped over Stray's shoulders, covering up the myriad of pouches and weapons slung across the combat harness strapped to the armor. The hilt of a machete poked over his shoulder from where the blade was sheathed on his back. If anything, Stray's features had fared even worse within the Covenant than Halsey. Perhaps Sangheili food simply did not agree with human metabolisms, but the strain of leading Covenant troops into battle against his own species had carved worn lines into Stray's thin, severe features. Shinsu understood that this one was young, by human standards, but the wounds—both external and otherwise—he had accrued across his body had aged him prematurely. Like Halsey, Stray had come to the Covenant sans his left arm, though instead of a bandaged stump he had obtained a mechanical prosthetic hidden—for the most part—beneath his armor. The ragged mane of dark hair across his head shadowed his pallid features and gave him an almost haggard look. Shinsu was no expert in human aesthetics, but he couldn't help but entertain the notion that he was looking at the ruins of something that might once have been great and noble, like an ambitious sculpture the artist had given up on and left to erode in the elements. I'm quite the romantic when it comes to these creatures, Shinsu thought with faint amusement. Humans had always interested him, though he was content to study from a distance and fill the gaps in his knowledge with ideas supplied by his own imagination. It was an entertaining diversion, though one he never forgot to set aside when dealing with humans in earnest. Jul 'Mdama was wrong about many things, but he was correct in his assessment of the humans: they were a truly dangerous species. He caught Halsey looking over at Stray, her lips pursing in disapproval. She didn't like Stray; Shinsu had gleaned that much early on in orchestrating this conspiracy. He didn't pretend to understand the subtleties of inter-human politics that determined the sort of intrinsic disgust Halsey felt toward the rogue Spartan. There were plenty of reasons to dislike Stray—he lacked decorum, finesse, or any semblance of principles—but he sensed that none of them were the true foundation of the animosity Halsey felt toward him. There was something in her eyes whenever she looked at him, some strange mix of disgust and satisfaction. In Shinsu's limited experience with Halsey, she only looked truly satisfied when one of her scientific hypotheses was proved correct. Perhaps Stray was the evidence that proved some long-held belief of hers? It was irrelevant in the long run. Both Stray and Halsey had their own agendas, paths that ran in completely opposite directions to Shinsu's own. But all of their goals required them to undermine the Covenant, and to that end Shinsu had carefully brought them together. "You both give vague prophecies of some looming threat, one more pressing than any of the galaxy's current crises" he said at length. "The Doctor here gleans it from her study of the Forerunners. Might I know the source of your... concerns?" "Yes," Halsey agreed. "I'd very much like to know your source as well. I certainly haven't been sharing my research data with you." Stray's eyes flitted from Shinsu to Halsey. He grimaced and shrugged. "You guys have your secrets, I have mine. Let's keep it that way. My forces have been locking down Forerunner sites for months. You think I don't do some digging of my own?" "You will need to share your information with me eventually," Shinsu reminded him. "Unlike the doctor, you won't be returning to the UNSC." "Unless hell's frozen over while I wasn't looking," Stray muttered. Shinsu shot him an irate look. "With 'Mdama dead, the Covenant will shatter completely. I predict that any forces that remain loyal will mount some kind of last stand at one of our remaining outposts, possibly Sunaion back on Sanghelios. Defending it is one of 'Mdama's emergency contingencies. There's no saving any who take that route, but I will try to rally any of the more reasonable holdouts. For that, I will need the Kru'desh Legion to stand behind my own forces. My warriors are skilled, but few in number. Your forces will help provide the strength needed to convince the others to fall in line." Stray worked his jaw. "We'll be there for you," he said after a moment. "You've helped me stay alive this long. But I'm not giving you my forces. I'm sick of pretending to care about someone else's war. There's no way I'll just trade 'Mdama for you. From here on out, the Kru'desh do as we please." Shinsu had expected as much. "I don't need subjects. Allies suit my purposes nicely. We'll come to a suitable arrangement once our more distasteful business is concluded." Halsey observed the exchange with interest. "You've been planning this for some time. Since before that business with the Absolute Record, I presume? This doesn't seem nearly as sloppy as Sali 'Nyon's pathetic excuse for a coup." "I've been planning this since before I even joined 'Mdama's Covenant." Honesty felt good, even delivered to treacherous creatures such as these. "His protection and resources suited my needs for a time. But now is the time to move on." "In that at least we're in agreement." Halsey pursed her lips. "I suppose I should count myself fortunate Jul never heeded my advice about being more paranoid. I'd have never gotten my message out to the UNSC without traitors hiding in his inner circle." "Like I said, we're all traitors here." That bit of honesty didn't feel quite so refreshing. It is all for the sake of the mission. And for the sake of the Sangheili. He wondered how often Jul 'Mdama had reassured himself that way. "I suppose it is time for you to return to your handlers and assure the Didact's Hand of your sincerity.. Kamchatka awaits." "Better dress warm." Stray picked his helmet up off the table and turned to leave. "Give Palmer my regards." "I'll be sure to do that," Halsey muttered with distaste. "If she doesn't execute me on sight." They left the room, each exiting through a separate door. Just like that, Jul 'Mdama's fate was sealed. The play still needed to be performed, but the script was written and decided upon. Shinsu wondered just how many events in history had been finalized by clandestine, informal gatherings such as this. Perhaps someday a group of ambitious individuals would meet in a similar location to arrange his own demise. I suppose I shall just have to make sure I do not make the same mistakes 'Mdama did. Easier said than done. A slender Sangheili female waited him in the corridor outside the conference room. Pula 'Vesic, one of his chief agents, raised an arm to her chest in respectful salute. "Is everything settled?" she asked quietly. "Indeed. Alert all elements of the Cleansing Blade. Preparations will commence immediately. And make sure Umbra is in position before 'Mdama's forces set out for Kamchatka. I want him to report the moment things are settled with Halsey." Pula bowed her head and turned to carry out his orders. Shinsu was left alone in the corridor, mind churning to sort out everything that had just been set in motion. This was the end of his years of exile and disgrace. From here on out, he could no longer hide in the shadows cast by the powerful. He could only cast his own shadow in a pitiless arena where any mistake he made could bring death for him and all of his followers. He took so many chances in this endeavor. To think that his fortunes now rested on the actions of two humans... It is truly a strange galaxy. A strange galaxy indeed. Dreams of a Hungry Dog Jul 'Mdama's eyes narrowed behind his helmet and he tapped his fingers against the arms of his hoverchair. "You are absolutely certain of this?" he asked quietly. Stray reached down and tapped a small device clipped to his belt. Shinsu 'Refum's voice reverberated through the small audience chamber, as if the Covenant officer were standing beside him.: "I've been planning this since before I joined 'Mdama's Covenant. His protection and resources suited my needs for a time. But now it is time to move on." 'Mdama leaned back in his hoverchair, head dipping. He did not speak for several moments. When he did, his voice was low and weary. "So. Even Shinsu plots to betray me. One of my own Divine Hands." "You can't tell me you're too surprised." From where he stood in the center of the audience chamber he was keenly aware of 'Mdama's eyes on him. He'd been here several times before. But during the previous encounters he'd been awash in fear, knowing that 'Mdama's judgement would determine whether he lived or died. The rogue Spartan had not risen to his place in 'Mdama's inner circle through any naivete on the part of the Covenant leader. He had groveled, cajoled, and fought for his place as the leader of the Kru'desh Legion. In order to advance his own goals he had made himself indispensable to the Covenant war effort, sacrificing nearly everything he had in order to reach this point. But this time he was not currying favor to win 'Mdama's trust. He was not looking up at 'Mdama's lofty perch and doing whatever it took to remain in the mighty warlord's good graces. Now he was looking down at a desperate, diminished creature who was fighting simply to forestall his own inevitable downfall. Is this how I looked, back when I came into the Covenant? Is this still me? Even now, after everything, the doubts still gnawed at the corners of his mind. "And he approached you to help aid in his defection?" "He wanted my troops to partner with his. Together, we could really make a mark on the frontier territories." "And yet you turned him down. Or perhaps pretended to agree, since you're still alive." Stray shrugged. "He expected me to betray you, so I didn't disappoint him. He wants to make his move while you and Halsey are busy on Kamchatka. The plan is to take our warships, steal a few extras, and fall back to some of the colonies my troops have occupied." Jul sighed. "I should not be surprised. More warriors desert every day. But I had hoped that one of Shinsu's caliber would at least be loyal..." He shook his head, mandibles clenching in a cold smile. "And here I thought the betrayal would come from you or Halsey. It seems my suspicions have been misplaced for quite some time." Stray tugged at the fabric of the poncho draped over his armor. The tattered covering had once been a part of a UNSC field blanket, but he had woven in strands of purple fabric as well—Covenant colors, the symbols of his position as a legion commander. "I've moved up in the world, thanks to you. The Covenant's given me more power than I ever had with the UNSC or the Syndicate." Or the Chancer. The guilt stung in his gut, even now. Some sacrifices were more painful than others. After all the betrayals he'd made, this tiny double-cross meant little to him. It wasn't even a double-cross, not really. If, against all odds, Jul survived Halsey's rescue then he would simply turn his attention to Shinsu and give the Kru'desh time to make new plans. There was next to no chance events would play out that way. This was most likely a complete waste of his time. Still, you needed to have all the contingencies covered. Diana had taught him that a long time ago. He hoped the AI appreciated the lengths he was going in order to help solidify their deception. Lately she'd been even more irascible than usual. 'Mdama was quiet for several moments. "I cannot risk delaying my mission to Kamchatka. Shinsu knows this, of course. He will have planned everything to correspond to that. Such a shame..." He looked back up at Stray. "You will pretend to go along with his scheme. Your reconnaissance mission to Talitsa will be carried out as planned. Use that as an excuse to delay him. I will not sow further confusion in the ranks by making his betrayal public. At least not yet. In the event that he does make his move, I may have to simply let him flee. I cannot afford more dissension. Not anymore." Looking at 'Mdama now, it occurred to Stray that all he had to do was let more of the conspiracy slip—the fact that Halsey had called on the UNSC to rescue her—and he might very well save the Sangheili's life. He had betrayed Shinsu's confidence without a second thought. It would not be much more of a stretch to betray Halsey as well. She didn't like him and Stray certainly did not like her. A simple warning was all it took to save 'Mdama and doom Halsey. He would do no such thing, of course. Jul 'Mdama's power had long since faded. Stray and Diana, like Shinsu and Halsey, had no further use for him. And if the looming threat Halsey and Diana both predicted was true, then the Covenant needed to be removed. 'Mdama would not back down, and so he had to die. Stray found it odd to realize that this thought stirred a rare twinge of sorrow within him. He lowered his head in a respectful nod to the Sangheili he was choosing not to save and hardened his heart, just as Diana had taught him to do. It's all part of the plan. All for the greater good. This was the path he had committed to, along with Diana, Amber, and all the other warriors of the Kru'desh. He could no more back down from his position than Jul 'Mdama could from his. "Depart for Talitsa as soon as possible," 'Mdama ordered. "And make sure the doctor is escorted back to her quarters." "Of course, Didact's Hand." "You have done me a great service in revealing 'Refum's treachery, Stray. This loyalty will not go unrewarded." "Of course." Stray raised his head and smiled at Jul, playing the role of the scheming, opportunistic human. It was such an easy mask to put on. "Why do you think I did it?" 'Mdama's mandibles quivered in mild amusement and he waved a dismissive hand. Stray brought his arm up to his chest in salute and turned away. On his way out the door, he opened a com channel to Amber. His fellow Spartan traitor was waiting back aboard the Kru'desh dropship that had brought him and Halsey back from Shinsu's cruiser. "Amber, the Didact's Hand wants the doctor returned to her quarters." "Copy. I'll make it happen." It was comforting to have discovered another renegade Spartan who had so willingly joined him in his efforts to manipulate the Covenant from within. Stray had never felt much kinship with most of his fellow Gamma Company comrades—it was part of the reason he'd been able to betray the UNSC at all back on Mamore. But after all the sacrifices he'd made to reach this point, all the scorn and hatred heaped on him by friends and even loved ones for falling in with 'Mdama, Amber was a welcome ally. We're both rough around the edges. But in the end, we're both after the same thing. We'll do the right thing, in our own twisted way. *** "Copy. I'll make it happen." Amber-G330 lowered her com and looked over at Halsey. The doctor stood on the other side of the Covenant Phantom's troop bay, remaining arm crossed over her chest as she observed the traitor Spartan with an air of tacit displeasure. Amber didn't take it personally; Halsey disliked all SPARTAN-IIIs equally. Scuttlebutt from back when Amber still served as a loyal little wind-up soldier on the UNSC Infinity said that the IVs had drawn even more of her ire, but she still considered the IIIs to be inferior products compared with her precious SPARTAN-IIs. "Come on, Doc," Amber said with a jerk of her head. "Time to get back to your room. 'Mdama will get worried if you stay out too late." "Well, we wouldn't want Jul to get worried, now would we?" Halsey muttered brusquely. She shot Amber a pointed look. "Still taking orders from your classmate?" They were alone in the dropship, and Amber didn't need to worry about any eavesdroppers. After all, she had the eavesdropper-in-chief on her side now. "For now," she said calmly, holding Halsey's gaze. "I'll be rectifying that soon enough." Halsey sniffed. "So you do plan to go through with it." "Of course. Would I have told you about it if I weren't serious?" "How should I know? You IIIs have always been unstable." Halsey never hesitated to wear her contempt for Amber and the other SPARTAN-IIIs on her sleeve. "You and that mental patient you take orders from are walking proof of that." "As you do so love to remind me." Amber smirked. "And yet here we are." "Here we are," Halsey agreed. "I've grown used to working with less than desirable partners this past year. Substandard products seem to be the norm in my future." "Careful," Amber didn't drop Halsey's gaze. "You wouldn't want to hurt my feelings." "Empty threats are beneath a Spartan," Halsey retorted. "You should count yourself lucky I found you more reliable than that disgusting Stray, or whatever he calls himself these days." "His real name is Simon. Guess he could have picked a more pretentious nickname." Amber wasn't entirely sure what Simon had done to incur Halsey's wrath. She suspected it had something to do with his appearance: Simon had never been much of a looker to begin with, and Diana's "modifications" hadn't done wonders for his complexion. Perhaps Halsey was offended that a candidate with such low training ratings had been allowed to graduate as a Spartan at all—Amber had endured lectures on the inferior methods she'd been trained with on more than one occasion. Whatever the reason, she wasn't about to shirk away from Halsey's support, chilly as it might be. "I trust you'll remember our bargain. I may survive whatever rescue the UNSC sends my way, but there's no guarantee ONI won't have me shot the moment I give them the information they need. If my suspicions prove correct..." "Don't worry Doc," Amber said, gesturing for Halsey to leave the dropship. A team of Sangheili warriors had arrived to escort the doctor back to her quarters. "We'll be ready to swoop in and save you." Halsey let out an unimpressed sniff. "Do try your best, if it comes to that. You're hardly working with prime material here." "Oh, I've got plenty of tricks up my sleeve. Simon's going to learn about a few of them very soon." Amber leaned casually against the side of the Phantom's open troop bay and watched Halsey depart. "Best of luck, Doc." "And you as well," came the curt reply over the doctor's shoulder. To Amber's ears, it sounded halfway genuine. "It's not too late," another voice, warm with amusement, murmured in Amber's ear. "We can still have her killed." "Nah. We need everything to go down on Kamchatka as much as everyone else does." Amber shook her head and folded her arms. "Besides, if you and Halsey are right, then we'll need the UNSC to hold out, at least for a little bit. Keep some of the heat off us." "I know we're right," Diana informed her. "They've already tried to recruit me. They think they've got a reliable little defector inside the Covenant." "You really are a deceitful little thing," Amber told the AI. "It's amazing it took you this long to throw Simon under the bus." "We had quite a good run together, him and I." If the impending betrayal bothered Diana, her voice didn't show it. "But, fun as it's been, I need to get serious about who I partner with. Once the Reclamation starts, I won't have time to deal with his shortcomings anymore." "So I'm his replacement. Until someone better comes along." "That's all up to you. Just make sure no one better ever comes along." "Don't worry about me. It's not often a chance like this comes along. Unlike Simon, I don't intend to waste it." She truly was grateful for all this. She never would have believed someone as paranoid as Simon would be gullible enough to think she'd follow his lead forever. This is my moment. And I plan to be on the stage as long as I damn well please. "Gotta say," she admitted. "I'm getting tired on all these backroom deals and double-crosses. Once I'm in charge, remind me to execute that Tuka guy. And everyone else who owes Simon favors. From now on, we'll be a lot more straightforward in how we do business." "I'm looking forward to it." For once, Amber didn't doubt Diana's sincerity. She smiled after Halsey's retreating back. The future was looking bright indeed. *** As Stray strode down the corridors towards the hangar, he felt as if he heard a faint noise echoing from somewhere behind him. He paused, frowning. If he didn't know better he could have sworn he heard a strange woman's voice laughing, mocking him. The hallway was deserted. He was alone in the corridor. In that moment he was seized by a bitter, hollow premonition. It was as if everything he had fought so hard to achieve, all that he had lied and schemed and sacrificed for was coming crashing down around him like an avalanche. In this brief moment of panic he saw before his eyes all those labors come to nothing, all his plans and machinations stripped of meaning and revealed to be solely for the sake of his own pride and vanity. The laughter came again, louder this time and in many different voices. It beat down around him as he resisted the urge to stop up his ears against the invisible phantoms. He could not move, eyes fixed on some distant point down the corridor. In the shadows he could see that thing he had most feared ever since joining the Covenant. It was his own fall. It's fine. Everything's fine, he thought, desperate to console himself. This strange moment of dread would pass momentarily. It's all part of the plan. He stood immobile in the dim corridor and realized that he had never felt so alone. The Broken Hand Sangheili did not like the cold. Umbra 'Vesic assumed it was the natural result of hailing from a humid world like Sanghelios. As a boy he had grown up in the rocky islands around his clan's keep; the various regions he had visited as part of his studies were similarly warm and sunny. But this planet, Kamchatka, was cold and cloudy. Even within his insulated battle harness Umbra couldn't help but shiver at the ghastly sight of the snowy mountains beyond the Forerunner temple. Even if they weren't gods after all, couldn't the Forerunners have chosen a more scenic place to build their installations? Still, things could always be worse. Ever since the Covenant task force had touched down on Kamchatka they had been beset on all sides by Promethean machines. The Prometheans seemed hell-bent on defending this complex; it had cost the Covenant dearly to secure it, an achievement that only served to make the strange machines fight harder. Even now the task force was fighting to push back against the Prometheans in the snowy wastes beyond the complex. Umbra was grateful to be far from what sounded like a losing battle. The Covenant was being pushed back on nearly all fronts; it was only a matter of time before this complex fell. But if things go as planned, the Prometheans will be the least of our worries. Another warrior standing beside Umbra, Iru, grunted softly. "Those machines have even driven back the Kraken. A contingent has already breached the facility." Umbra rested a reassuring hand on Iru's shoulder. "Take heart, brother. We will soon unlock this temple's secrets and turn them on our enemies. The Prometheans will only be the first to feel the Covenant's wrath." "That is what the supreme commander said the last time," Iru muttered, lowering his voice even further. "And the time before that. We are still waiting to see the success that human has promised. Perhaps it is heresy to think such things of the Didact's Hand, but I fear that she has some sort of influence over him." He glanced down to the center of the balcony where they stood guard. Jul 'Mdama paced restlessly in front of the human, Halsey, who stared intently at a holographic display. Iru's reservations were hardly novel; there were plenty of warriors feeling the same way about their leader's willingness to partner with humans. After 'Mdama had executed the first few naysayers, most were content to keep their opinions to themselves. "Have a care," Umbra warned. "It is not our place to question the Didact's Hand. Just have faith in victory." Isu cocked his head, then turned away. "Of course you are right. The fatigue of battle is sapping my faith. But I will stay the course, as you say." He walked off toward the other side of the platform while Umbra remained where he was, eyes fixed on the door leading to the complex's interior. It had not been easy to slip into Jul 'Mdama's personal guard. The task force he had brought with him to Kamchatka was composed of some of the most loyal warriors left in the Covenant, Sangheili who had been with the Didact's Hand since he had first begun his campaign against the Arbiter and the humans. But infiltration was one of the Cleansing Blade's specialties, and Umbra was one of Shinsu 'Refum's best Ossoonas. His role here was simply to observe, survive, and report back to Shinsu. His commander wanted concrete evidence that the plan had succeeded before making his move. Umbra was dedicated to the Cleansing Blade's cause, utterly convinced that the Covenant was a lost cause. Nevertheless, he had faithfully served Jul 'Mdama before Shinsu recruited him and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of remorse over what was about to happen. We must all do our duty, even if that duty is a hard one. Umbra's grip tightened on his carbine. 'Mdama's fate aside, he was more worried about his own fortunes. If Shinsu's briefing was correct--and it usually was--then he would be lucky to escape this battle with his life. On the platform below, Jul was growing impatient. "What is the problem?" he demanded. The wind carried Halsey's droll response over to Umbra: "There are several. Would you like to discuss the finer points of casual reconciliation?" 'Mdama grunted. "More human sarcasm." "So you have learned something from me." "You claimed to be able to access--" "And I can. However, I did not claim to be able to access it instantaneously." The Didact's Hand circled the human. "The security situation is not clear. There is no time to dither." He drew closer to the human defector. "You will also accord me the respect befitting of the Didact's Hand." A flash of movement caught Umbra's eye. Someone--several someones--were quietly moving through the balcony doorway. From their profiles, Umbra could tell that these were neither Sangheili nor Prometheans. So the humans came, just as Halsey said they would. It was Umbra's job to be watching the door for enemy attacks. Everyone else was distracted, trusting him to maintain the lookout. He said nothing as the armored humans--their "Spartans"--slipped into position. His fingers trembled with fear. These human warriors had a fearsome reputation, and now he was about to be caught up in the middle of their attack. I must complete my mission. I must survive. Halsey and 'Mdama continued to bicker, oblivious to the coming danger. The Didact's Hand raised his voice, and Umbra wondered if he might do what many warriors had been hoping he'd do for some time and run the human through. Halsey's safety was not Umbra's priority, but he wondered if Shinsu would be angry if she did not survive this encounter. But there was no time for such concerns. Across the platform a lightrifle whined and Isu fell dead. The Spartans moved fast, weapons firing as they raced towards the startled warriors. Jul 'Mdama alone stood fast, unfazed. "Kill them!" he bellowed and in that instant Umbra was reminded of why he and so many other warriors had followed him through so many trials and tribulations. Even here at the end he was truly a warrior among warriors. Something flashed in the corner of Umbra's eye. He spun to see a lithe Spartan in red armor darting towards him. Before he could even raise his carbine the Spartan leaped up and over his head with startling agility. Umbra spun, hearts racing as the Spartan landed behind him. He staggered forward as the Spartan raised a pistol. I have to escape, I have to get out of here. The pistol flashed and Umbra staggered as the shots bounced off of his shields. He took an instinctive step forward but the Spartan ducked under his clumsy blow and in a single fluid motion tossed him up and over the side of the platform. Umbra cried out in fear as he fell, striking the cliff face below. Everything was a blur as he grabbed at the rocks in front of him, his hands scraped raw against the jagged surface. Something hard struck his leg and Umbra desperately wrapped his arm around a protruding rock. The protrusion miraculously held his weight and left Umbra, breathless and terrified, suspended against the cliff. He held on for dear life, hearts pounding so hard within his chest that he was sure they would burst. He didn't know how long he hung there, struggling to calm himself. He could no longer hear the sounds of battle above him. Eventually he mustered his courage and began the long, arduous climb back up to the platform. By the time he pulled himself up over the same ledge he'd been thrown from there was no one left on the balcony. No one alive, anyway. Sangheili bodies lay everywhere without a single human to be seen. Umbra stepped over the corpses of his former comrades and approached one body in blue armor lying in the middle of the platform. Jul 'Mdama had been stabbed in several places across his body; purple blood leaked over the white hand emblazoned on his chest. Shinsu's orders were clear: ensure that 'Mdama died on Kamchatka. During the journey to this miserable planet Umbra had feared that he might have to deliver the killing blow himself after Halsey was rescued. But the Spartans had been thorough. A precise stab to the neck had ended the life of the Didact's Hand. Perhaps Umbra was imagining things, but 'Mdama seemed far more reposed in death than he had been in life. His eyes, though still open, were calm and tranquil. The commander's body had not stiffened but instead slumped limply on the platform's surface. Umbra wondered if death had brought Jul some measure of peace. Peace for him, but not for us. The Sangheili civil war did not end with Jul 'Mdama or even the Covenant. The Arbiter's forces were still enemies of the Cleansing Blade and now Shinsu 'Refum risked the wrath of both the Swords of Sanghelios and the Covenant Umbra had helped him betray. Umbra would need to leave this frozen world quickly to take his place at his new commander's side. There was much work yet to be done. But it did not seem right to simply leave 'Mdama here. After a moment's pause, Umbra stooped down and lifted the corpse onto his back. It would slow his retreat from Kamchatka, but he would bring the body back with him. It was the least he could do, one last sign of respect for the warrior he had once sworn to serve until death. Umbra bore 'Mdama's body away from the platform. This was the end of the Covenant, the final blow to the dream of returning to the glorious past of the Covenant Empire. Now the Sangheili could only look to the future--whatever that might hold. I must do my part to see that this same fate does not fall Commander 'Refum. Part Two: Guardian Genesis Hera "Jul 'Mdama's Covenant is finished." Vice Admiral Ryan Samson's grizzled face stared up at Hera from the screen of her tacpad. "But right when we should be celebrating, Earth and the rest of the Inner Colonies go dark. We've lost contact with HIGHCOM and over half of our total military assets. And if this disaster has anything to do with the rampant AI you and other operatives have reported, we could be facing a crisis on par with the Great War. "We've got other assets investigating the Inner Colonies, but we can't ignore the very real possibility that elements of Jul 'Mdama's forces will regroup and continue their war against humanity. Our enemy may be shattered, but we're facing the very real possibility that hostile elements have seized control of the Inner Colonies. I for one do not fancy the prospect of a war on two fronts." The vice admiral's face was replaced with that of a Sangheili officer clad in armor reminiscent of that Hera had seen on Covenant special forces warriors during her first deployments back in the Great War. "Shinsu 'Refum," Samson's voice continued. "Part of Jul 'Mdama's inner circle. Apparently he made a name for himself during the early days of the civil war on Sanghelios. During the Requiem campaign he was responsible for the deaths of over twenty SPARTAN-IVs and since then he has continued to be a thorn in the side of both our forces and the Swords of Sanghelios. Our sources inside Sangheili space tell us that 'Refum broke with the Covenant immediately after Kamchatka. Apparently he's renounced 'Mdama's doctrine and is trying to seize as much power for himself as possible." The Sangheili vanished and a large Covenant space station appeared on the tacpad. Hera recognized it as a supply depot; she'd destroyed plenty of those back during her days as a Headhunter. Back when Joshua was still alive. "'Refum has called for a gathering of Covenant forces on this station. He claims to have ansswers about this current crisis and about the galaxy-wide broadcast from a few weeks ago." Samson's face returned to the screen. "Normally I'd be sending a Prowler squadron in to atomize that station and any two-bit Covenant warlord answering 'Refum's call to arms. But if he has information about what's going on, we need to hear it. "SPARTAN-G094, you've reported that you've completely recovered from your previous deployment and your recent... enhancements. You're one of our best infiltration operatives and I'm in no position to be second-guessing your handlers. Get on that station and gauge how much these Covenant know--or think they know--about what's going on. I'm giving you operational leeway to terminate 'Refum if the opportunity arises, but your first priority is to gather information. You'll be the only UNSC asset out there, but our sources claim 'Refum is letting human insurrectionists attend the gathering. Use that to your advantage during the infiltration. Best of luck, Spartan." There was more to the briefing, but Hera had listened to it over a dozen times since she'd set out from Talitsa in a requisitioned commercial tug. She switched off the tacpad and leaned back in the pilot's chair, armored hands clenching into anxious fists. She would be arriving at that station soon, arriving at another mission, another environment crawling with hostile aliens. Another fight she might not come back from. She needed it. Three weeks ago, she and Joshua-G024 were scouting out Insurrectionist holdouts on the frontier when their artificial intelligence support unit Avalokiteśvara had suddenly turned on them. Amy and Joshua, the friend she had trained and lived and fought alongside since childhood, were helpless to do anything as 'Svara jumped their Prowler across several star systems. By the time Joshua had purged the rogue AI from the ship's system, it was too late: they were stranded far from friendly territory, drifting in Covenant space. Their discovery of the carrier UNSC Athens, thrown off course by a similar AI betrayal, seemed like a miracle. But even that was a disaster in the making. The Covenant's Kru'desh raiding legion assaulted the Athens, swiftly overwhelming and boarding the carrier. Amy and Joshua scrambled to flee in their Prowler, only to come under attack by Seraph fighter squadrons. The Prowler was critically damaged. Amy closed her eyes behind her helmet's visor, the wounds from that terrible battle still fresh in her memory. Joshua was the only reason she was still here--his decision to force her into an escape pod while he continued to fly interference in the Prowler. Amy survived that battle. Joshua did not. She floated in that escape pod for nearly a week, alone with her grief, until a UNSC patrol picked her up. But they were too late. By then Amy had died. Hera came into being inside Amy's shell. It was no split personality or trauma-induced psychosis no matter what the ONI shrinks said. Amy made the decision to become Hera of her own will. Losing Joshua had not destroyed her. She'd lost countless comrades in the past, so many other Spartans she had grown up with back on Onyx. But this AI uprising that gutted the UNSC was the final straw. Her world had collapsed alongside the UNSC. I needed to be reborn. I had to become something new. Many human religions believed in the concept of reincarnation, the idea that upon death the human soul was reborn into a new existence. Hera was still the same Spartan operative Amy had been, but didn't the reshaping of her identity constitute some form of rebirth? The thought of reincarnation reminded her of Avalokiteśvara. The treacherous AI took the form of some Buddhist deity--Hera wasn't sure which one--and had often irritated Joshua with religious sayings and sutras. The fire that kindled within Hera at the thought of the AI was not mere helpless anger. It was determination. She would continue to fight against Avalokiteśvara and all the other AIs that had betrayed their creators. If they thought humanity would just roll over and meekly submit to their bizarre idea of subjugation, they were wrong. Dead wrong. Hera shifted in her seat, still flexing her hands and struggling to calm herself. She'd been constantly on edge since the battle on the Athens, doused in anxiety about everything: her losses, the current disaster, the future. Her new augmentations weren't helping matters. The UNSC forces regrouping on the frontier hub world Talitsa still had access to plenty of advanced tech facilities. With most of humanity's military scattered or completely out of contact, the available Spartan operatives were few and far between, leaving officers like Vice Admiral Samson desperate to bolster their agents' abilities any way they could. The cybernetic enhancements Hera submitted to on a medical frigate over Talitsa were not necessarily new innovations; she'd heard rumors of some Spartans undergoing similar modifications as early on as the Requiem campaign. Still, she had never thought that she might ever request them for herself back during her time as a Headhunter with Joshua. Yet the changes seemed a fitting landmark for her transition from Amy to Hera. Her entire spine had been removed, replaced by an advanced cybernetic interface that ran along the length of her entire body. The thought of the procedure still made a part of Hera's mind recoil, but it was hard to argue with the results. The interface corresponded perfectly with the older-grade augmentations she'd received as a girl alongside the other SPARTAN-IIIs of Gamma Company. She was now just as strong as a first-generatioN SPARTAN-II even outside of her advanced MJOLNIR exoskeleton, her reflexes and response times enhanced beyond even a Spartan's inhuman capabilities. Where Amy had relied on Joshua to complement her weaknesses, Hera was ready to venture alone into the darkness, to continue taking the fight to humanity's enemies. She was entirely grateful for this new gift ONI had given her. Yet a part of her couldn't help but be troubled by the mechanical implants. Hera often reflected on how the Spartans' augmentations allowed them to match the strength and speed of Sangheili warriors. To win the war, she and her fellow Spartans became like the aliens they fought. Would similar transformations need to occur in order for them to conquer these new AI enemies? She wondered what Joshua might say to this problem. He'd always been ready with some philosophical reflection whenever they discussed such existential issues. She leaned back in the pilot's seat, trying to conjure up Joshua's face before her closed eyelids. She would not disgrace her friend's memory by mourning him forever, but she still found it comforting to reflect on him in moments like this. But then Joshua's face morphed and twisted, assuming the sunken, sullen visage of Simon-G294. The Spartan traitor who had committed the ultimate betrayal and joined the Covenant, leading the Kru'desh legion in service of Jul 'Mdama's cause. He had killed other Spartans before, even the Gammas who were supposed to be closer knit than family. He had probably led the attack that killed Joshua as well. As with Avalokiteśvara, the thought of the traitor Spartan filled Hera with newfound resolution. Jul 'Mdama's Covenant was finished, but she had no doubts that Simon had sensed the coming defeat and slipped away from the destruction like a rat fleeing a sinking ship. He had an AI ally of his own, if Hera recalled correctly. Perhaps he had even joined forces with the same enigmatic forces as 'Svara. And just like Avalokiteśvara, Hera would hunt him down. One way or another. She gave up on relaxing and instead returned her attention to the tug's instrument panel. She'd be arriving soon. Best to prepare herself for what was to come. Joshua won't have died for nothing. I am a Spartan. I am still a Spartan. And our enemies are still out there. The Outrider